


Never Better, Kid

by FlameFox345



Series: Fictober 2019 [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Civil War Team Iron Man, Dead Aunt May, Fictober 2019, Gen, Light Angst, Not Steve Friendly, Peter Parker Feels, Peter punches Steve, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, not team Cap friendly, tony is not a doormat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-15 08:20:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20863139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlameFox345/pseuds/FlameFox345
Summary: Fic written for the seventh prompt of Fictober 2019!October 7th - “No, and that’s final.”After Aunt May’s passing, Peter had been thrust into the life as the adopted son of a billionaire, and he’d never been happier.Suddenly, his dad completely changes.





	Never Better, Kid

If you had told Peter a year ago that he was going to be adopted by the brain behind Stark Industries, he would have outright laughed in your face. Truthfully, even thinking about having Tony Stark as a father figure was a statement that would never come to light in anyone’s life. Except, maybe Peter’s. 

He wasn’t about to complain at all! Spending his days tinkering around in the workshop of his dreams and looking into the eyes of the future were some of the most amazing things to happen to him (not counting becoming Spider-Man, meeting Ned, and dating MJ, of course). After years of only having his aunt and then weeks of having no one, Peter felt safe. It was a good feeling. One he honestly hadn’t felt since the day he got bitten by that stupid spider.

And for a couple months, all of Tony’s attention had been on him. Peter this, Peter that, web fluid, heir of Stark Industries, etc. were all that left Tony’s always moving mouth. It didn’t take long, however, for Tony to retreat back into his shell. The man Peter has come to know as his dad was suddenly a stranger, and he had no idea why or what had happened. Days in the workshop became tense, stilted. Conversations lingered into awkward silences, and Peter felt alone again.

It was a feeling he had grown to hate.

“Mr. Stark, do you have the new prototype for Mr. Rhodes yet?” He had asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the haze that Tony seemed to be in, but also fearful of the response, of when Tony would inevitably snap, of when the man decided to give him up. He knew it was going to happen, it was too good to b—

“Not yet. I’ve been pretty busy with the whole Rogues thing that I haven’t had much time to focus on what I actually want to do.” Tony had replied, but his voice was bland, dry, and weak impression of the man Peter had come to know. That deafening silence was back, broken only by the typing of a keyboard and Tony’s harsh breaths.

Peter leaned back into the couch, biting his lip as he searched for something, anything to say.

He had opened his mouth to speak, questions on the tip of his tongue when there was suddenly a sharp ring sounding in the room. Peter watched as Tony’s expression fell even more.

“Boss, Mr. Rogers is requesting access to the workshop. He is threatening to use his override code and refuses to leave until he is inside.” FRIDAY spoke, her tone just on the wrong side of hostile, and things slowly fell into place for Peter.

Weeks ago, the Rogue Avengers hiding away in Wakanda were officially pardoned and allowed back home. Peter hadn’t paid much attention to the news of their return, too focused on schoolwork, tech, and living the dream. He was vaguely aware of the events that occurred after the fight in the airport that he participated in, but mis tif it was a blur of Ms. Potts quick explanations and Mr. Stark’s reassuring that it wasn’t important. Peter had no interest to dig deeper until he noticed that Mr. Stark occasionally rubbed his chest just a little too hard on the days were he was just a little off.

Maybe he should have looked into Siberia more, but it was a bit too late for that now.

Tony sighed, laying his head in his hands before grumbling, “let him in, FRI.”

With a faint click and hiss, the door opened, and in stepped Captain America himself, decked out in a jeans and a smug smile. Peter immediately tensed. Steve didn’t even spare Peter a glance, obviously completely focused on Tony.

“Tony, we need to talk.” Rogers began.

“No, we don’t. I don’t want to talk, and there’s nothing to talk about, okay? Just accept it. I let you all back here, I’m letting you use my money, whatever, just leave me be.” Tony hissed, and Peter began to notice the tremor racking through his hands.

Steve narrowed his glare, taking a large step towards Tony before—

Tony scrambles from his chair, the gauntlet quickly forming around his hand, the repulsed aimed towards Steve’s head. Tony was shaking violently, breath coming out in short bursts, chest heaving. The panic etched across his features made Peter bolt over.

“Leave him alone!” Peter snapped, placing himself between Rogers and his father, fists clenched at his sides and mouth curled in a snarl. Steve was obviously taken aback, stepping away at the shock before tightening his posture to speak again.

“Kid, this is between me and Tony. I don’t know who you are, but you just need to leave and let us talk.”

“No! Leave us alone, you don’t get to touch him or speak to him.”

Steve huffed, annoyed, “kid, listen to me.”

Peter stepped forward with a grace he didn’t know he possessed, planting his feet, and clocking Rogers on the jaw. The man staggered backward, the surprising amount of force sending him off of his pedestal. “No,” Peter hissed, “and that’s final.”

Steve flicked his gaze between Tony and Peter, a storm happening behind his eyes. He slowly pulled himself up from his kneel before directing his gaze at Tony once again. “Come find me,” he murmured before turning tail and retreating from the workshop.

Almost immediately, Tony let out a long breath, the gauntlet retracting from his hand before he slumped against Peter’s back. Peter turned, wrapping just arms around the man and pulling him into a tight hug. The shivers going through Tony’s body slowly disappeared before the man’s breathing finally steadied.

Without pulling away, Peter quietly asked “are you okay, dad?”

Tony let out a subtle laugh, his squeeze tightening before he let go, placing a comforting hand on Peter’s shoulder and looking him in the eyes. The happy shine was back and his smile was wider than it had been in weeks.

“Never better, kid.”


End file.
